Pen Women Have The Write Stuff

January 14, 1985|Malinda Reinke, columnist

It`s really an effort ``to help one another,`` said Patricia Wilson, panel moderator for the seminar on publishing being sponsored Saturday by the Boca Raton Professional Arts Branch of the National League of Pen Women.

Like most professionals in the field of communications, Wilson knows ``getting it published`` can be as difficult as writing the book or the article.

Through the publishing workshop, Wilson said, the Pen Women chapter hopes to help writers ``avoid some of the pitfalls and perhaps get some ideas`` that will make them successful authors.

``This time we`ve done something a little different,`` Wilson said. ``Before, we brought authors in from outside to the workshop. This time the seminar panel will be made up of people from our group.``

Besides acting as panel moderator, Wilson, who is communications director for the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, will serve on the panel and talk about publishing for organizations.

Other panel members include Alice Winokur, who co-authored Joy in the Mountains, first- and second-edition travel guides. She`ll address the topic of self-publishing.

Geri O`Neill, area lecturer and author of the self-help book Super Self -- Life Without Limits, will discuss how to find a publisher. Nancy Osborn, who wrote Haunted Houses, published by Bantam Books, will talk about agents and whether a writer should use one.

Bessie Ginopoulos, former senior editor of New Standard Encyclopedia, will present ``the editor`s view,`` and Martha Schaaf, who writes books for young people, will give pointers to would-be authors on pleasing both publisher and audience.

The seminar will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. in the conference room of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce office, 1800 N. Dixie Highway.

Wilson said the program is free and open to the public, and you don`t have to make a reservation. Just attend.

Officials from the Science Museum in West Palm Beach announced that Jack Haas of Boynton Beach has been named director of the museum`s satellite museum, the Microplex, in the Boca Raton Mall.

Haas has 40 years of business experience and a strong background in technology. He is an amateur archaeologist and last year coordinated the speaking engagement of scientist Dr. Jane Goodall in Palm Beach County.

``We`re pleased to have Jack as our director,`` said Dr. Ed Sobey, executive director of the Science Museum. ``He brings a unique blend of skills and experience to the job.``

The new director said his first priority is to add volunteers to the staff of Microplex.

``We need dependable people to help us expand the hours of operation in this museum,`` Haas said. ``People are what make a museum successful, and we are actively looking for people who will make Microplex a long-term success.``

If you have some time and would like to help at the museum, call the Microplex at 394-4453 or the Science Museum at 832-1348.

Sobey also announced that Mr. and Mrs. Earl Denney of West Palm Beach have sponsored the operation of the Microplex for January.

And in its first month of operation, he added, the Microplex shattered attendance projections.

``It`s done much better than we had hoped,`` he said. ``This first month bodes well for our new museum.``

Let`s hear it for the boy.

Dann S. Carlson, a senior at Spanish River High School, will be honored at a luncheon Jan. 22 as ``outstanding youth of the month`` by the Noontime Kiwanis Club of Boca Raton.

Kiwanis program chairman Robert W. Taylor noted that Carlson was selected for his ``outstanding contributions to church and community.``

As a member of Bibletown Community Church, he is active in the choir, the church youth group and the youth Bible study.